NUMSA TO CONSIDER LEGAL ACTION AGAINST NEDLAC

25 September 2015

Earlier today, Friday 25 September 2015, NUMSA's delegation led by its General Secretary Cde Irvin Jim, met with NEDLAC's Section 77 Standing Committee pertaining to our application to embark on a protected strike action on Wednesday 30 September 2015.

The meeting was convened by NEDLAC, after we had submitted a Notice to Strike, last week Tuesday 15 September 2015. Our Notice to Strike was supported by SA's two main federations, NACTU and FEDUSA. Our Notice to Strike was submitted after we have followed all the protocols as determined by the Labour Relations Act (LRA) to embark on a protected socio-economic strike.

In today's meeting, NEDLAC's Section 77 Standing Committee granted us a certificate to embark on a strike after 14 days of submitting our Notice to Strike.

In light of the above decision by NEDLAC's committee, we will have an internal discussion on whether we should postpone the march, after consultation with our allies and supporters in the Unite Against Corruption coalition.

 However, as NUMSA we strongly feel that we should consider taking a legal route, in order for the marches to go ahead as planned. Already the planned action has received massive support from a wide range of organizations and eminent South Africa who are concerned about the scourge of corruption both in the private and public sector.

We remain emboldened by this growing support of rescuing our country from degenerating into kleptocracy as a result of corruption. We remain firm that workers should join en masse these actions, since they are mostly affected by corruption in the workplace and where they reside.

We are convinced that NEDLAC has been captured by forces within and outside government opposed to the march, by using technicalities to undermine and sabotage it.

We want to caution NEDLAC not to allow itself to be used for factional and political ends.

Statement issued by Castro Ngobese, NUMSA National Spokesperson, 25 September 2015